What MC2 FOUNDATION does

MC2 Foundation (legally "mc2h foundation") is a Swiss-registered private family foundation (CHE-334.973.126), headquartered in Geneva, that exists to support and resource community-led efforts to improve children's education in West Africa. Founded in 2016 by Michael Hacking and institutionally restructured in 2021 under Executive Director Tara Wondraczek (Michael's daughter), the foundation narrows its mandate to early-years literacy and operates as a grantmaking rather than service-delivery entity. Its core "products" are three interconnected activities: (1) long-term, flexible, trust-based grantmaking to small and local education organizations; (2) advocacy and evidence-building for Community-Led Development (CLD) through research, documentation, and storytelling; and (3) active challenge to traditional top-down donor models via promotion of equitable, trust-based philanthropy.

The foundation operates with a small team (1–10 employees, having grown from a one-person operation) and delivers impact entirely through a curated portfolio of 14+ partner NGOs rather than through direct program implementation or proprietary technology. Core partners include Luminos (catch-up programs for out-of-school children, 90%+ transition to government school), Edulution (tech-led numeracy/ITC catch-up in Southern Africa), Imagine Worldwide (offline literacy apps at ~$8/child/year), Rising Academies ($1/day school models), School for Life (community schools, 85% transition rate), Lively Minds (parent-engagement ECD), Sabre Education (play-based ECD in Ghana), EduSpots (community library "Spots"), the Radio Schools Programme (radio-delivered schooling in northwest Nigeria, est. 2021), Afrikids, the African Visionary Fund, the African Storybook Initiative, and the Global Schools Forum. Geographic reach via partners extends across Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Senegal, The Gambia, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, and Lebanon.

The foundation's business model is non-commercial: it does not sell products or services and has no pricing model. Its revenue consists of philanthropic capital, principally a USD 12 million pledge from Mocoh Group (the founder's family-owned business, established 1998) earmarked to scale impact through 2030. Despite this funding relationship, MC2 Foundation explicitly maintains full independence in governance, decision-making, and strategy. Its go-to-market is the identification, selection, and long-term resourcing of community-led partner organizations, complemented by convening, narrative, and advocacy work aimed at shifting donor practice toward community-led development.

Name

MC2 FOUNDATION

Legal name

mc2h foundation

Website

https://mc2hfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MC2 Foundation is a Geneva-based Swiss family foundation that provides long-term, trust-based grant funding and advocacy support to 14+ community-led NGOs improving early-years literacy across West Africa and beyond.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Grantmaking / Education Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Philanthropic foundation
• Grantmaking services
• Literacy funding
• Community-led development
• Education philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Funding from Mocoh Group: Primary funding from Mocoh Group, a family-owned business established by founder Michael Hacking in 1998. Mocoh pledged USD 12 million for mc2h to scale its impact up to 2030. mc2h remains fully independent in its governance, decision-making and strategy despite being funded by Mocoh.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

MC2 Foundation (mc2h Foundation) is a Swiss-registered philanthropic foundation that provides long-term, flexible grant funding and collaboration opportunities to small and local organizations leading community-driven improvements to children's education across West Africa. It also champions community-led development through research, documentation and storytelling, and advocates for trust-based philanthropy that challenges traditional top-down donor models.

Product overview

mc2h Foundation operates as a grantmaking and support organization rather than a technology product company. Its core offering consists of three interconnected services: (1) funding and support programs that resource small and local organisations with long-term, flexible funding for community-led education initiatives in West Africa; (2) community-led development advocacy through research, documentation, and storytelling to amplify local voices; and (3) trust-based philanthropy services that challenge traditional donor models. The foundation does not offer standalone software products but instead supports partner organisations including Luminos, Edulution, Imagine Worldwide, Rising Academies, Radio Schools Programme, School for Life, EduSpots, Lively Minds, Sabre, African Visionary Fund, Afrikids, Global Schools Forum, and African Storybook.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• mc2h Foundation Grantmaking and Support Program
• Community-Led Development Advocacy
• Trust-Based Philanthropy Services

Quantifiable outcome

• School for Life achieves 85% transition into formal school system
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LuminoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuminos was founded to ensure all children have equal access to joyful, foundational learning. mc2h supports Luminos as it provides catch-up programs for out-of-school children shut out by crisis, poverty, or discrimination. In just ten months, Luminos students learn to read and do math, with over 90% advancing into government school. Operates in Ethiopia, Ghana, Lebanon, Liberia, The Gambia.
• EdulutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdulution is an innovative learning model transforming how Africa learns. It runs catch-up programmes at government and community schools in South Africa, Namibia, and Zambia. The model combines technology, enterprising coaches, content, and evidence-based analytics. mc2h supports this tech-led but human-centered approach.
• Imagine WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImagine Worldwide boosts literacy through child-directed, tech-enabled literacy apps that are accessible, effective, and affordable. Solutions work without internet access or grid power. The foundation supports their cost-effective model delivering $8/child/year. Operates in Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Malawi.
• Rising AcademiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRising Academies operates on three pillars: private schools for Africa's emerging middle class (as little as $1/day), government school partnerships, and digital tools sharing. The Rising Model uses their own schools as innovation hubs. Operates in Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Liberia, Ghana.
• Radio Schools ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRadio Schools was formally established in February 2021 to transform basic education for children in Nigeria's northwest region. The project delivers education via remote, radio-delivered schooling targeting underprivileged communities where most children have never been exposed to formal education.
• School for LifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool for Life empowers communities to create their own opportunities by building schools that provide quality education including primary and secondary schooling, vocational training, and services such as employment and healthcare. Achieves 85% transition into formal school system.
• EduSpotsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEduSpots connects, trains and equips local voluntary Catalysts to drive community-led change through supporting them in creating and leading community-led library education spaces called 'Spots'.
• Lively MindscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLively Minds taps into the power of parents and local governments to create educational solutions. Through engaging parenting workshops, a popular radio program, and innovative 'Play Schemes', they give caregivers tools to support children's learning. With 16+ years refining the model, they offer cost-effective, scalable early childhood development solutions. Operates in Ghana, Uganda.
• AfrikidsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrikids is dedicated to understanding specific challenges preventing children from completing education. By listening to local voices, they empower communities to implement lasting change through co-designed initiatives. Operates in Ghana.
• Sabre EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSabre Education is an international NGO that since 2004 has been providing children in Ghana with early childhood education by partnering with government to implement play-based learning at scale.
• African Visionary FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrican Visionary Fund plays a crucial role in advancing literacy by empowering African-led organisations that focus on education and community development.
• Global Schools ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Schools Forum is an international organisation that supports and connects non-state education providers to improve quality of education for underserved children worldwide.
• African StorybookminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrican Storybook is an open-access online platform that provides storybooks in thousands of African languages for children to learn to read and write in their mother tongue.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Small Foundation: Family-backed foundation focused on inclusive growth in Africa through grantmaking and impact investment — structurally very similar to mc2h in size, family-funder origin, and mission scope.
• Indigo Trust: Small UK-based foundation funding tech and innovation for education and development across Africa — comparable in scale, focus area, and grantmaking approach to mc2h.
• Room to Read: Global non-profit focused on literacy and gender equality in education across Africa and Asia — the closest large-scale analogue to mc2h's literacy grantmaking mission in developing regions.
• Echidna Giving: Education-focused grantmaking foundation supporting girls' education in the Global South; shares the small, dedicated, grantmaking-first model targeted at improving learning outcomes in developing contexts.
• Luminos Fund: Non-profit dedicated to foundational learning and catch-up education for out-of-school children, currently a grantee partner of mc2h with overlapping West Africa footprint and similar literacy outcomes focus.
• African Visionary Fund: Fund empowering African-led education and community-development organisations, explicitly referenced as an mc2h partner; operates as a regranting intermediary with closely aligned funder philosophy.

Broad incumbents

• Jacobs Foundation: Large Swiss-based foundation focused on child and youth learning and development globally; broader portfolio and resources but a comparable theory of change around foundational learning and education systems.
• Hempel Foundation: Danish family foundation funding children's education and biodiversity globally — similar family-funder origin and children/education focus, though operating at significantly greater scale.
• UBS Optimus Foundation: Large philanthropy arm of UBS focused on education, health and child protection; comparable target geographies (West Africa) and education focus, with much greater scale and programmatic breadth.
• Porticus Foundation: Large international family foundation with an education portfolio spanning early childhood, inclusion and global development; relevant peer given thematic overlap on literacy and education equity.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mc2h-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about MC2 FOUNDATION